The present invention relates to a housing for electrical and data wire management for use in an office panel system.
Present day office furniture is modular in design. Such design makes use of modular pieces which are fitted to each other easily, allowing users to add or take out pieces to fit the office space and working requirements. Wires for connection of personal computers and other office equipment would then have to be laid to such equipment through or under the modular pieces.
There have been office panel systems with spaces for wires to be laid. However, such wires for office equipment are usually pulled through in an unorganized manner. This makes wire re-laying and re-wiring difficult.
The present invention was made to solve the above problems.
Accordingly, a first object of the invention is to provide a housing for electrical and data wiring management slidably fitted into a panel rail with one or more apertures for use in an office panel system, the panel having a rail on each side, the housing comprising a linear groove on each side; an aperture for the passage of wires; a recess to receive a fastening means, a fastening means; a tightening means; and means to connect the housing to other parts of the office panel system, characterised in that the housing is slidably fitted into the groove of the panel rail, the aperture of the housing is then aligned with the aperture in the panel slide, said housing being locked into its position vis-a-vis with the slide rail of the office panel by the fastening means, to allow the passage of electrical wires.
A second object of the invention is to lock the housing in place when fitted into the panel slide with a fastening means comprising a fastener with two resilient shoulders, a tightening means comprising a tightening screw which is inserted into a hole at each end of the housing, wherein the fastener is inserted into the recess to receive the fastener, the shoulder of the fastener facing the panel rail is held in place when the tightening screw is screwed into the housing. Exerting pressure on each shoulder of the fastener causes the shoulder to push out against the panel rail, and the housing is then held in place.
A third object of the invention is to further allow the housing to be connected to other parts of the office panel system with a means to connect the housing to other parts of the office panel system with a means to connect the housing to other parts of the office panel system, comprising a cable harness rail holder, hinge, hollow tube holder, snap lock for hollow tube holder, snap lock for hinged cover and a hinged cover.